THE 



BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE, 



BY 



JOSEPH BLYTH ALLSTON. 



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To the 

HON. CHARLES H. SIMONTON. 

I. 

Since first we trod the Ciimpus' sheltered walk, 

Near half a centurv hath rolled awav, 

And the fresh fervor of our youthful talk 

Has cooled before the stern facts of our day, 

Yet unabated strength thou dost display, 

Guarding the birth-right of our Saxon race, 

And with impartial judgment, dost allay 

The clamorous zeal of petty men in place, 

AVho. for a fancied good, would our real rights efface. 

II. 

Friend of my youth, my manhood, and old age, 

Amid more serious duties o^rant the meed 

Of thy ap})roval to this paltry page, 

This brief recital of a daring deed, 

Wrought by a hero in our countr3''s need. 

Though, as a diamond roughly set, may seem 

His peerless feat when these rude lines you read, 

Heed not the setting of the noble theme, 

But let the jewel's worth my feeble verse redeem. 

Jos. Blytii Allstox. 



THE BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE. 



I. 

Impetuous Spirit of the Lake, whose roll 
Wakes the World's wonder where Niagara falls, 
Inspire my verse> and, on my humble scroll, 
Unfold the history which never palls, 
In rude log cabins, or in marble halls : 
When, England striving to resume her sway, 
To meet th' invading host, our country calls, 
And, from Cape Charles, to Narragansett Bay, 
Men throng unto thy shores, in motley, rude, array. 

II. 

O'er frozen rivers, and o'er snow-clad hills, 

Trained seamen of our vouihful navv came ; 

Rude fishers from the coast; from mountain rills, 

Keen hunters of the shy Northwestern game, 

And tillers of the soil, their humble portion claim. 

Men, who ne'er trod a deck, mingle with those 

Whose cradle was the ocean : the pure flame 

Of patriotism passionately glows 

Even in the humblest breast, and strengthens, as it grows. 





III. 

Where Pennsylvania curbs the rolling tide, 

And Erie nestles by Lake Erie's shore, 

In .steady, earnest, patient toil they bide, 

And the dull town orows lively, with the roar, 

And clang, of anvils never heard before : 

The sinewy woodman fells tlie arrowy pine, 

Which toppling starts the echoes; axemen score, 

And the keen broad axe iiews it to the line. 

Shaping the buoyant keel, which, soon, shall press the brine. 

IV. 

Primeval forests yield their virgin growth 

Slowly matured, young in a century 

Of gradual increment, to fashion forth 

Masts, spars, knees, gunwales, all the panoply 

And frame of stalwart vessels : o'er the lea 

The laboring oxen toil beneath the yoke. 

Moving stout timbers to the inland sea, 

Where busy craftsmen trim with skilful stroke 

The pines' straight lengths or mould the stubborn oak. 

V. 

Gray Winter, tottering, veils his wrinkled brow, 
And, 'neatli his russet mantle, laughing Spring 
Peeps coyly forth. On every swaying bough 
Swell tender tinted blossoms ; hawthorns fling 
Their fragrance on the air, and gaily sing 
The wihl-wood warblers. On the stocks afar. 
Poised, like eagles, ere they sproad the wing, 
Ri.se oak-ribbed skeletons of two l)rigs of war, 
Greeting the glorious Hood from their triumphal car. 



VI. 

And wlien young Suininer, lavishly bestowing 
Flowers, and fruits, on hill, and dale, and plain, 
Sweeps by the spot, her green robes amply flowing 
With clover blossoms deck'd and ripening grain, 
The brigs complete ready to breast the main 
Slide from the stocks with easy, swan-like motion, 
And glide into the lake without a strain, 
While strident voices cheer, in wild commotion, 
The first armed keels to float upon this inland ocean. 

VIL 

Imperial Britain, from the northern coast, 

Sends forth her fleet to conquer, and subdue, 

Manned by trained sailors, who may truly boast 

Of victories won where'er their colors flew, 

Or in the Baltic, or by famed Corfu, 

Where steep Gibraltar checks the Atlantic's foam, 

Or far Calcutta rises into view, 

Rulers of every sea, where'er they roam, 

And pointing to their flag, as s\^mbol of their home. 

VI 11. 

Ours once the flag, and ours still the race, 

England's is part of our history, 

Nor past, nor future triumphs may eff'ace, 

A common heritage of ancient glory ; 

To which, we, now and then, append a story 

Not ('juite unworthy of the ancient one. 

Of ""ood Kinu: Arthur and his comrades hoarv. 

We share the fame Alfred, and Henrv won, 

And, for ourselves, keep that of Washington. 



8 

IX. 

*Tis a hard fight, when those of the same blood, 

Sire, and son, in deadly conflict meet, 

Or, on the tented field, or on the flood, 

As now on Erie, when the summer's heat 

Is cooFd by Autumn, and the hostile fleet 

On the horizon's distant verge appears: 

The rattling drums of either squadron boat, 

Each crew the deck, for action, promptly clears, 

And, loud, the welkin rings, with hoarse, resounding, cheers. 

X. 

Six vessels constitute the British fleet, 
With near eight hundred men, guns sixty-three; 
Two brigs and seven smaller craft, complete 
Our squadron, beating towards them, on the lee, 
Carrying six hundred men, of whem the sea, 
Had known scarcely the half; guns fifty-four; 
Which were distributed in this degree, 
The seven smaller craft just fourteen bore, 
And each of the two brigs mounted a score. 

XL 

A bright, clear, dav, a breeze that softlv soughs 

Through the taut rigging with a balmy breath, 

A limpid flood, that laps the gliding prows, 

\nd, rippling, flows the buoyant barks beneath ; 

The yards are hung in cliains, swords, from the sheatl), 

Leap flashing : by each gun on every ship 

Are |)iled the iron messengers of death, 

'J1ie decks are sanded, lest, in gore, men slip, 

And, with a proud salute, each flagsliip's colors dip. 






9 

xir. 

They sliorten sail to top sails, jib, and spanker, 

Like Athletes, stripp'd for combat, ere they join, 

And, the breeze shifting, lo ! as though at anchoi% 

Upon the wind the British form in line; 

Ours bear down upon them, at a sign 

Shown from the flagship ; she, no risk denying, 

Leading the van, the foremost of the nine, 

Sweeps into action, with her colors flying, 

To all the hostile guns, undauntedly, replying. 

XIIL 

Then Battle rides, triumphant, on the air, 
The great guns flash, and bellowing thunders rolL 
For two long hours, ruin, and grim despair, 
Seize upon mast, and spar, and human soul ; 
Cannon, dismounted, ring as they would toll 
Dirge for the dead, in deep, resounding tone, 
The Lawrence swims a wreck beyond control ; 
Her deck is stained with blood, her power is gone,. 
Hemmed in by hostile ships, unaided and alone. 

XIV. 

For at fbng range her tardy consorts ply 

A desultory fire of shot and shell, 

And all the burden of the fight doth lie 

On her alone, and she hath fought so well, 

But now, nor guns nor men remain to tell 

Her proud defiance to th' exulting foe. 

On swarthy cheeks the bursting tear-drops swell, 

And blanched, dazed faces, voiceless, feeling show. 

Powerless to fire a gun or strike one answering blow 



10 

XV. 

Scarcely a dozen men, and scarce a gun, 

Whose brazen throat its tongue of flame may pour 

]None to complete, what's been so nobly done ; 

No voice to answer to the cannon's roar, 

Whose balls with deadlier aim crash in once more, 

So near success, and 3^et, perforce, to fail 

From sheer supine inaction ! while a score 

And more of guns are almost within hail, 

Shall yon blue pennant its stern motto vail. 

XVI. 

It is a bitter thought, and one to which, 

Upon the instant, must the answer come. 

In life there are some moments which are rich 

In priceless opportunity ; 'mid the hum 

Of the world's marts ; or when the stirring drum 

Bespeaks armed hosts, and a yet doubtful day 

With some, such moments every sense benumb. 

Leaving them powerless, to the few a ray 

Of light supernal comes, to guide them on their way 

XVII. 

Brave Lawrence' dying words float from the mast^ 

And they are lowered, but 'tis not to yield ; 

The boat is lowered too, and to it passed 

All of tlie crew who yet are fit to wield 

Outlass or oar: erect as though a-field 

With sword in hand, and flag flung to the breeze, 

Whilst, at close range, musUcts and cannon peal'd 

Jiallets, and grape, th' heroic Perry flees 

To win the final chance, which he, alone, may seize. 



il 

XVIII. 

On the Niagara's deck, unhurt, he stands, 

His dauntk'ss pennant to her niast-head flies, 

And his hrave spirit speaks to willing liands. 

With filling sails the gallant vessel hies. 

Like a roused falcon, on her enemies ; 

A sudden thrill her onward motion checks; 

A double hroadsides' sulphurous flames arise, 

Raking, at pistol range, the hostile decks. 

Which, soon, drift idly on the tide, — dismantled wrecks. 

XIX. 

There is a power in those who nobly dare, 
A latent s|)arkle of divinity 
Which forces those, who lollow them, to share 
Its subtle and contao-ious energv. 
As by one impulse roused to bravery. 
With sudden onset all assail the foe, 
And, from what seemed defeat, wrest victoiy. 
The British flags are one, by one, laid low, 
'Struck to the Stars and Stripes with action sad, and slow, 

•XX. 

Then ' Don't give up thk ship 'again floats free 
From the recaptured Lawrence' shattered mast. 
Fluttering adown the wind in meriyglee, 
As 'twere a thing alive, and fain would cast 
To the four winds its tale of dangers past : 
Proudly it floats o'er rifted sails and spars, 
The tangled cordage whistling in the blast. 
Proudly it floats, while maimed and bleeding tars 
Greet it with cheers wjiich echo to the stars. 



12 

XXI. 

He. who hath snatched from perils utmost 'verge, 

Surcease of danger, and assured success. 

He who hath felt his ebbing pulses surge, 

In healthy, vigorous action, must confess 

Humbly a sense of his unworthiness, 

Deep gratitude to Him, who ruleth all, 

And to the conquered foe true kindliness, 

Voe victis may befit the vulgar thrall, 

Tiie truly great feel ever tenderly for those who fall. 

XXIL 

Perry, who ne'er before had held command, 

Adorns an admirals' post without display, 

And shows the breeding of the Newport strand 

Not more by vigorous action in the Ira}^ 

Than by his effort loyally to pay, 

Honor to those o'ercome with manl}- grief, 

Especially the veteran Barclay, 

To others timeh' cheer he gives and prompt relief; 

But, with an almost filial care, attends the wounded chief. 

XXIII, 

Wild Erie with tumultuous acclaim, 
Voices his praises in the cataracts foam, 
The youthful hero who has writ her name, 
And the staunch timber of her fruitful loam, 
Eink'd with his own in Honor's deathless tome. 
Bursting the cloud which o'er the country lowers. 
With the terse phrase which gladdens every home 
From bleak Penobscot, to the Land of Flowers, 
'' We've met the enemv — and thov are ours" 



« ♦ c 



13 

XXIV. 

The Nation has grown grander since tliathour, 

By inter-necine strife awakened more 

To sense of strength, and consciousness of power, 

That smiling Peace with lier abundant store 

Could bring in fifty years: to the inmost core. 

Men have been stirred until with passion fraught, 

The tranquil tenor of the life before, 

Its infant triumphs, and its quiet thought, 

Seem tame to those, who, on a larger field, have wrought. 

XXV. 

And yet Thermopylae still fires the blood. 

And Tell, defiant, on his native hills, 

And all who, in heroic mood, have stood 

The strain of conflict, or the weight of ills ; 

And Perry's daring hardihood instills 

Faitli in the future of our guiding star ; 

With pride triumphant every bosom thrills 

At thought of him disaster could not bar, 

Who conquered, upon Erie's flood, the tars of Trafalgar. 

XXVI. 

That star points on to union, and to peace, 

By strenuous contest, rendered yet more strong 

Throughout the world, to cause all war to cease, 

Assuage all suffering, and redress all wrong ; 

The speech which Shakspere molded into song, 

Heard by the still depths of the Nile's dark source, 

Or echoing the Andes' heights along, 

Shall carry Peace and Good-will in its course, 

Bringing God's Word to man with more than mortal force. 



14 

xxvir. 

Rejoice ye sons of Britain's burly race, 
AVho curb tbe Indies, and confront the pole ; 
Whose auburn locks and genial, ruddy face, 
Betoken generous heart and steadfast soul ; 
Ye who Columbia's mighty realm control, 
And carry Albion's flag over the main. 
Ituling the deep where 'er its currents roll ; 
llejoice that on our banners ne'er again 
Shall rest the blot of kindred peoj)les slain. 

XXVIlf 

Where'er our native tongue salutes the ear, 

Or on Alaskan or Australian seas. 

Where palms their crowns of tropic verdure rear, 

Or horrent ice-bergs chill the Northern breeze; 

Whether in Texan hammock, stretched at ease. 

Or stoutly laboring in the tempest's roar. 

Which sweeps around the cloud-capped Hebrides, 

We greet the thought which speeds from shore to shore, 

The English speaking peoples war no more. 



